Easter in Salem

I got back to Salem just in time for Easter service at Our Lady of Nazareth. We usually have four Masses each weekend. But for Easter Sunday we have one BIG service at a Civic Center. The previous ones have been in Salem but this year it was in Roanoke.

Several years ago when this was suggested at an Arts and Environment Committee I said, "That's the most stupid *%$# thing I've ever heard in this Committee. There is just NO WAY you can turn that big empty space - where the Monster Truck Mud Races were yesterday - into a worship center."

BOY, have I been proven WRONG WRONG WRONG.

Year after Year.

Dozens of people; hundreds of flowers, trees and shrubs; yards and yards of ribbon prepare the place on Saturday.

Dozens more musicians, dancers, banner carriers, servers, and readers join Msgr. Joe Lehman and several thousand parishioners in a Celebration that brings tears of Joy

every

single

year.

These pictures are from previous years. This year was just as beautiful.







My Joy was even greater this year because I attended with Carol, Emily and Andrew. That would have been beyond wonderful. But it got BEYOND beyond wonderful when Emily Milan (For those few of you who haven't been paying attention, see Dec 13, 2007 Blog entry) asked for a ride to the service. So I sat with Emily Wheeler on one side and Emily Milan on the other. Can you say, "Very Happy"?

Followed by a wonderful dinner with Carol and kids. Then dinner again with the Milan's. The hostess, Nancy Trent had suggested that I bring a vegetable. I told her that was so boring, I'd bring a dessert instead - but I'd put sauerkraut in it so there'd be a vegetable. The chocolate cake - with sauerkraut - was a hit. And a couple of people even believed me when I told them what was in it!

The following days fell into my old routine, with the addition of my new family, of course. I helped at the OLN Nursery's 11:30 Mass. Mostly new kids since I'd been there, but we made friends quickly.

They may look a little sad - but you should have seen them BEFORE they crawled onto my lap. They were both crying their eyes out -



My incredible "Church Family" just keeps growing as I meet new little ones and their parents through the nursery.

Life is Good.

Salem is Home

I arrived back in Salem on March 13th after a short stay in Memphis.

My last blog tells you of the incredible changes God had in mind for me. You'll read lots more about Carol, Emily and Andrew. But even with this big change, things seemed so "normal" AND wonderful in Salem.

I had breakfast/lunch/dinner with a whole host of friends, most of whom I've known for more than 15 years. I heard "Hello" and "Welcome back" from people at church, clerks at the Post Office, banks, grocery stores, etc. etc.

The first task on arrival was choosing a site at Salem Village. I had a choice of two and both were beautiful. I met both my potential new neighbors and BOTH had motorcycles. I chose the spot next to Fred Saunders. Fred is an 80 yr old living like someone half his age. The motorhome I parked next to is his fulltime home. He plays golf two or three days a week and rides his Honda Gold Wing Trike the others.

By the time I get this posted, he'll be on his way to Alaska.

On his trike.

Pulling a tiny camping trailer.

For the second or third time.

When I told him I was sorry I couldn't go with him, maybe next time, he said, "OH, I'll probably go again next year."

One day he said, "Somebody just told me about a really crooked road near Glasgow. Wanna go find it with me?" Five hours later we were back home after seeing some of the prettiest scenery in the East. And the best part was when we took a wrong turn on US501 and followed the James River where it cuts through the Blue Ridge Mountains. Many of the roads in the Catskill Mountains of NY that I rode as a kid went through passes so narrow there was only room for the river, the road and the railroad. This one doesn't even have room for the road so we twisted up and down where 501 seemed to have been built just for motorcyclists. We could have taken the Blue Ridge Parkway home from there but we hadn't even been on the road we had come to find yet. So we turned around and went back over the mountain to where we'd turned the wrong way. The ride on US60 was as good as Fred's friend had described. But we both agreed that our "inbetween" trip on 501 was much nicer. Then we took a mostly single lane road back south for half an hour and returned home on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Here's a link to the pretty part of the trip.

And here's the James River part - the prettiest part - of the trip from Google Earth



When we got back home, Fred gave the ride what is probably his highest praise, "That was more fun than a round of golf."

Life really is good.